Vaults: Sealing, venting, and ventilation.

Each underground vault or closed top pit containing either a pressure regulating or reducing station, or a pressure limiting or relieving station, must be sealed, vented or ventilated as follows:

(a) When the internal volume exceeds 200 cubic feet (5.7 cubic meters):

(1) The vault or pit must be ventilated with two ducts, each having at least the ventilating effect of a pipe 4 inches (102 millimeters) in diameter;

(2) The ventilation must be enough to minimize the formation of combustible atmosphere in the vault or pit; and

(3) The ducts must be high enough above grade to disperse any gas-air mixtures that might be discharged.

(b) When the internal volume is more than 75 cubic feet (2.1 cubic meters) but less than 200 cubic feet (5.7 cubic meters):

(1) If the vault or pit is sealed, each opening must have a tight fitting cover without open holes through which an explosive mixture might be ignited, and there must be a means for testing the internal atmosphere before removing the cover;

(2) If the vault or pit is vented, there must be a means of preventing external sources of ignition from reaching the vault atmosphere; or

(3) If the vault or pit is ventilated, paragraph (a) or (c) of this section applies.

(c) If a vault or pit covered by paragraph (b) of this section is ventilated by openings in the covers or gratings and the ratio of the internal volume, in cubic feet, to the effective ventilating area of the cover or grating, in square feet, is less than 20 to 1, no additional ventilation is required.

[35 FR 13257, Aug. 19, 1970, as amended by Amdt. 192-85, 63 FR 37503, July 13, 1998]